


Love is a losing game

by Lazy_Queen



Series: Shadowhunters post-credit scenes [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec as the Institute Director, Episode Related, Gen, I don't really know - Freeform, M/M, Pre-Malec, Pre-Slash, episode 1x06: Of Man and Angels, though I'm not sure of that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-02
Updated: 2016-03-02
Packaged: 2018-05-24 10:16:14
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6150313
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lazy_Queen/pseuds/Lazy_Queen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Stay for just one more drink? And then decide."</p><p>My version of what happened that night.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love is a losing game

**Author's Note:**

> I'd like to thank the Shadowhunters fandom, especially @butterflywingednight for the post that gave me the idea and my dear friend @amor-te for proof-reading it for me and not minding my fangirling even if he doesn't share it.  
> (Also, as we are both not native english speakers, it might still contain errors, so if you'd like to help by pointing it out, that'd be awesome.)  
> Enjoy ~

_"Stay for just one more drink? And then decide."_

It was three in the morning. Alec really should be heading back to the Institute by now.

He was tired, emotionally and physically exhausted actually, and his mother had already called three times. As the oldest of the Lightwood children and Head of the New York Institute, he was supposed to respond to Maryse's call at once, and start making a dent on today's reports, including writing his.

But Magnus was looking at him, eyes filled with promises if he just gave him some kind of sign that he'd accept them. Izzy's words were still on his mind, going round and round ( _'They're gonna make you marry'_ ) and his resolve ( _'Screw the rules. Screw them. Screw all of this._ ') had not weakened.

"I must say, Alexander, that I'm surprised you've decided to stay."

Snapping out of his reverie, he lifted his head up, from where it had been, staring at the third drink of the night - which was a pretty-ish green color.

"It surprised me too." Alec took a gulp of the drink and continued "I'm not one to drink and I'm definetly not one to ignore my mother's calls" As if on cue, the cellphone's screen lit up again with the name Maryse. He turned his head away.

Magnus, who sat beside him on the couch only an arm away -arm that was extended and almost touched the shadowhunter's hunched shoulders- stared at the boy and inquired.

"Then why have you?" the warlock, Alec quickly learned, was very good at being smooth, so it was easy to discern the nervousness that coloured his question.

"I-" he stopped himself before he could finish the lie. He did know why, and he had nothing to lose in admitting it. Magnus wouldn't jugde him too much. He took a fortifying gulp -it was pretty tasty- and confessed "I'm tired of being the good son."

_"I have followed every rule. I've given up everything!"_

A shadow briefly passed Magnus' eyes.

"So this is an act of rebellion?"

His voice sounded off but Alec, in the middle of the difficult task that was organizing his thoughts and feelings, thought nothing of it.

"I guess you could call it that." he stirred the rest of the drink in his glass and finished it "I think it more as an act of freedom."

Magnus' eyebrows went up in surprise and he hid it behind the sudden need to make another drink.

"When I left the Institute, Isabelle had just told me out parents newest plan to get in the Clave's good side. To say I was angry was an understatement."

Magnus looked at the boy, this strong warrior who hid a vulnerability that called to something in the warlock ( _'You've unlocked something in me'_ ), and felt compassion.

"I was not just angry. I felt betrayed, dissapointed." Alec kept going, growing more restless. Magnus put the hand that was not holding the glass on his shoulder and the shadowhunter stopped.

"What is their plan?"

Alec swallowed, making his Adam's apple bob and momentarily disrupting Magnus attention.

"They want to marry me off."

That brought the warlock's wandering thoughts to a halt. He knew some shadowhunters still engaged in such traditional costumes, but to know Alec would be subjected to it...

"So your first thought was to accept my offer of a drink?" he asked, still feeling a bit stunned at the news.

Alec turned his eyes at Magnus'.

"If in being a good soldier and son I lose my chance at being happy, I want no part of it."

They stared at each other for a moment more, the air growing thick with possibilities, and Magnus felt his mouth opening on it's own accord.

"I can't say I disagree with your line of thought, Alexander."

A small smile started to form on the corner of the shadowhunter's mouth and the warlock felt his immortal heart skip a beat.

"My friends call me Alec, you know."

Alexander Lightwood, Magnus thought, was a dangerous man.

A twenty year old boy who carried the responsabilities of being the Lightwood family heir, the New York Institute Director, an older brother to his siblings and Jace Wayland's parabatai.

An archer, an estrategist, a soldier, a shadowhunter.

Always doing his best, never truly being enough.

Never truly being happy.

Alexander Lightwood was dangerous not only because of his shadowhunter training, but because of the strengh of his soul. Magnus knew, from the very first smile, that he ran a great danger of losing this battle.

From the very first smile, he knew he held no chance of keeping Alexander from winning his heart.

 


End file.
